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Napoli were given a major scare before responding to their UEFA Europa League exit with a 3-2 win over doomed Cesena.

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Written ByPeter Thompson

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Dries Mertens scored twice as Napoli stayed in the hunt for a
UEFA Champions League spot by coming from behind to beat relegated
Cesena 3-2 in Serie A on Monday.

Rafael Benitez served a one-match touchline ban for remarks made
after a 2-2 draw with Parma last weekend and watched his side make
hard work of securing the three points they needed to remain in
contention for third place.

Gregoire Defrel stunned the Stadio San Paolo faithful by opening
the scoring for second-bottom Cesena after 15 minutes and struck
again in first-half stoppage time after Mertens and Manolo
Gabbiadini - selected ahead of Gonzalo Higuain - put Napoli in
front.

Mertens set up Gabbiadini's goal and the Belgium winger rounded
off an impressive individual display by grabbing the winner 12
minutes into the second half.

Victory for Napoli went some way to softening the blow of their
UEFA Europa League semi-final defeat to Dnipro last week and leaves
them three points behind third-placed Lazio ahead of a trip to
champions Juventus next weekend.

Fiorentina also responded to their Europa League exit at the
hands of Sevilla with a victory as crisis club Parma were consigned
to a 3-0 defeat at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

The Florence outfit remain on course to secure a place in
Europe's secondary club competition after goals from Gonzalo
Rodriguez, Alberto Gilardino and Mohamed Salah moved them back
above Genoa into fifth spot.

Coach Vincenzo Montella had a swipe at the club's fans after the
defeat to Sevilla, saying his side deserved more respect and they
have now won three Serie A games in a row to ensure European
qualification remains in their hands.

Defeat for Parma came on another grim day in which their
administrators announced they have yet to receive any offers for
the beleaguered club, and as a result will reduce the asking price
to €11.25million.